Gbarnga, Bong County – The standard bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander Cummings, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 gave his nod to the candidacy of Dr. Henrique Tokpa in the Bong County senatorial by-election.
Reprot by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
Cummings’ ANC finished third in Bong County after accumulated 8,359 votes, which amounted to 5.5 percent. The former ruling Unity Party finished second 51, 536 or 34.0 percent of the votes while George Weah’s Coalition of Democratic Change topped the county with 61, 520, which amounted to 40.6 percent of the votes.
The ANC is not fielding a candidate in the upcoming election after the party’s vice standard-bearer in the 2017 presidential election, Jeremiah Sulunteh, withdrew from the race.
Speaking to reporters, Cummings said there is no better person in the race to represent the people of Bong County at the national legislature than Dr. Tokpa.
“The partisans of the ANC will support you in Bong County and will put the resources of the party at your disposal in the race and we will work with you and your people to ensure that you become the next senator of Bong County,” Cummings said.
Continuing, Cummings added: “Dr. Tokpa has the commitment of the people of Bong County. He’s an academician, politician and someone who has spent his life helping the people of Liberia and Bong County. The ANC knows that he will fully represent the people of Bong County and Liberia when elected.”
Cummings believes Tokpa, when elected as Senator of Bong County, will take the views of someone who cares about the Constitution and the welfare of the people of Bong County.
For his part, Tokpa said he was confident of victory after his last failed attempt three years ago.
“I am not God but based on the parameters and the indices of the Bong County political terrain and based on the visits to the 13 administrative districts of Bong County that we have done so far, I am confident that by God’s grace – because God gives power – that we are going to win.
“We have activated our structures; I have met all the stakeholders. This time around, it is going to be one man, one vote. We are not going to allow anybody to rig us out. Peoples votes will count.”
Tokpa described Cummings’ declaration as “a surprise,” declaring the day as his birthday. “I had no idea that all the candidates in the race had been vetted by the ANC based on merits and characters in the county and Liberia for us to be given this privilege,” he said.
Tokpa said he and Cummings have had a longstanding relationship dating as far back as their days on Cuttington University in the 1970s and was glad about their reunion.
Tokpa, the former Cuttington University president, described Cummings as a “political giant” whose endorsement could yield results in the forthcoming senatorial election.
“When I succeed I will always consult the ANC family on happenings in the country,” he said.